Tour From Haifa, Israel to Nazareth and Galilee and More.

On day 6 of our cruise, we explored the beautiful North of Israel from the Port of Haifa.

Our journey consisted of a full day tour to the historic locations and stunning scenery of the places where Jesus lived, preached and performed his miracles. Included on our full-day shore excursion were: Nazareth, Cana, Tabgha, Mount of Beatitudes, Capernaum, Sea of Galilee, Yardenit Baptismal Site on The Jorgan River, the Haifa Bay and Baha'i Gardens, and lunch overlooking the Sea of Galilee. We travelled through lush green hills and we could see the Golan Heights and Lebanon from different points along the journey.


First, we traveled along the plains of Armageddon to Nazareth - the place where Jesus spent his early years. In Nazareth, we toured the Basilica of the Annunciation, established at the site where, according to Roman Catholic tradition, the Virgin Mary received the news from Angel Gabriel that she would give birth to Jesus. Rebuilt in 1969, on the remains of Byzantine and Crusader churches, it is the largest Christian sanctuary in the Middle East. The vast upper church and courtyard are decorated with large gift mosaics of the Virgin Mary donated by 43 nations from around the world. Each mosaic reflects characteristic of its mother land. My favorite mosaics were from Cameroon, Japan, Thailand, and the USA. Here is a site that shows all 43 mosaics, gifts and more….
http://www.biblewalks.com/Sites/AnnunciationMosaics.html


The site has been a pilgrimage destination since earliest times and remains an important stop for Christian Holy Land pilgrims today.


Then onwards to Tabgha, the site of the miracle of loaves and fish. There were fish mosaics in the tile throughout. We saw the great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great great greatgrandparent of the fishes from THE loaves and fishes :).

Next, was my favorite stop because it was beautiful and peaceful--a visit to the Mount of Beatitudes where it is believed Jesus preached the famous Sermon on the Mount. Located on a hill overlooking the Sea of Galilee near Tabgha, the Mount of Beatitudes is the traditional site of Jesus' delivery of the Sermon on the Mount, probably the most famous sermon of all time (Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. …) I found it a bit odd that our tour guide asked a fellow traveler to read The Beatitudes from the bible. Perhaps he simply refuses to read from the New Testament—he did this several times. Pilgrims have been drawn to this scenic place since at least the 4th century.

Next was a visit to Capernaum, an ancient fishing village located on the beautiful shores of the Sea of Galilee, considered the center of Jesus' ministry. The town is cited in the Gospel of Luke where it was reported to have been the home of the apostles Simon Peter, Andrew, James, Matthew, and John. Key points of interest here are the archeological site where excavations have revealed ruins of two ancient synagogues, built one over the other; (where an impressive mosaic floor was recently discovered), an olive mill and an olive press dating from Roman times: and the octagonal church-- ALL with a stunning backdrop of the sea of Galilee.


Lunch was traditional bountiful, middle-eastern fare at the restaurant St Peter, overlooking the Sea of Galilee.


Continuing along the panoramic seashore, we drove to the Yardenit baptismal site where the River Jordan separates from the Sea of Galilee. This site is believed by some traditions to be the actual site where Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist. In this naturally scenic and symbolic setting, with diverse flora, and some exotic animal species, pilgrims from around the world come to perform baptismal ceremonies. Entire church groups even travel here for Baptism ceremonies. The gift shop, naturally, was immense. See this site for some photos: http://www.biblewalks.com/Sites/yardenit.html


We ended the day a with picturesque drive to the top of Mount Carmel for a panoramic view over the Haifa bay and the famous golden-domed Baha'i Temple with its exquisitely sculptured and manicured gardens. What a magnificent choice of locations for the world headquarters of the Baha'i Faith. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is an oasis of sheer beauty. Of note, here are 7 Baha'I temples in the world, one on every continent. I have also visited the Asian site in Delhi India.

From atop Mt Carmel, we had a perfect view of our ship docked at the port.

Another enriching, moving day touring Northern Israel. Taking a small, private, group tour is always the best way to visit a port city and nearby sites.

Jerusalem: Truly multicultural and truly rich in history

Today, I took a moving and memorable ten-hour, private tour of both Jerusalem, and (Palestine Controlled) Bethlehem. What struck me most was how lush and green the countryside was; that we could see the 436-mile “security wall” from different locations; and as we entered Jerusalem, I was amazed by how densely populated the city is with neighborhoods tightly built up into the hillside. Of course, the imposing Temple Mount with its distinctive, glistening golden Dome of the Rock, one of the most sacred Muslim sites in the world, can be seen from every corner of the city. Because it is situated on a most holy Jewish site (Abraham almost sacrificed his son, Solomon built 1st Temple, and 2nd temple was built), its location is a source of never-ending conflict between Muslims and Jews.

Downtown Jerusalem is very congested and the streets are too narrow for the volume of traffic and not much better for pedestrians. Parking is a nightmare and many park right on the pavement. Fortunately, our small van was able to navigate the narrow streets that connect and surround parts of the old city. Our first stop was lookout point with spectacular panoramic views of the city, dominated by the breathtaking Dome of The Rock. Then, we drove along the Mount of Olives, of great importance to Jews, Christians, and Muslims, with shrines dedicated to all 3 religions. It houses the Jewish cemetery which is considered a most sacred burial ground for Jews worldwide, today. At the foot of the mountain, we visited the garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus was arrested and the Church of All Nations.

We could see panoramic views of Mount Zion from different points throughout the day.

Next, we headed for the Old City, walled in by ancient stone, containing the greatest concentration of all weaves of society, in a maze of winding streets. Included are the Jewish, Muslim, Armenian, and Christian Quarters, all filled with colorful markets, aromatic cafes, pungent restaurants, and pedestrian streets with nearby sounds of Jewish prayer at the Western wall, Catholic church bells ringing, and the call to Muslim prayer from muezzin--all within minutes of each other.

Here, we had tours of inside of the famous (and very crowded) Church of the Holy Sepulchre; Via Dolorosa (the path along which Jesus was forced to walk with the cross on his back—we visited stations 5, 6, & 7); the Western (“Wailing”) Wall; and through Arab Markets. I found the Western Wall, one of the Holiest Jewish sites in the world, most moving of all. I wrote a prayer and pressed it into a crevice of the wall. I must confess: I peeked at the men on the other side of the gender partition and photographed some of them. Of course, there side looked more interesting.

On Jerusalem: I love the co-existence of east and west, ancient and modern, secular and religious, and there are still even those who ride on donkeys, camels, and horses. Jerusalem’s residents come from more than a hundred ethnic and religious backgrounds. The ride ranging mix of people can be seen while walking down a street: a cassocked priest from an Eastern Orthodox Church, a black-veiled, abaya-clad Muslim woman, and an Ethiopian immigrant in flowing white robes, a black-garbed Orthodox Jew with beard and corkscrew curls, and an Indian immigrant in a colorful sari. All in one mosaic inside a 42-square mile radius.

Next, our Israeli tour guide, Ron, left our bus because he refused to stay on the bus as it moved into Palestine-controlled Bethlehem and because he did not wish to share space with our Palestinian tour guide. Despite his warnings, we felt very safe in Bethlehem and our Tour Guide, Samir, a Christian Palestinian, was a gentle and respectful soul. Of note, our Israeli tour guide made it clear he was NOT going to be politically correct and at one point even referred to some Arab children as maggots.

We were required to go through an official check point to enter Bethlehem. We strolled through the streets of Bethlehem to visit the Church of the Nativity, believed to be the birth place of King David and Jesus. For lunch, we dined in a small restaurant that gave us a choice between two delicious sandwiches: shawarma or falafel. Vendors followed us to the next stop (LOL) which was a large Christian gift shop. The official checkpoint leading back into Jerusalem (from the West Bank) was much more stringent with armed guards coming on board our van to check us out.

It was obvious we were spending time in a military states whose primary purpose is survival. Israel’s ports must be the most heavily guarded in the world. The port of Ashdod was flooded with military ships. Although I felt a bit uneasy before going there, I admit I felt quite safe.

I enjoyed the day and will visit New Jerusalem and several museums next time.

Rhodes, The Perfect Port City

Today, I visited Rhodes, a walled city that is the largest permanently inhabited medieval city in Europe. Rhodes is the name of the city as well as the Aegean island and consists of three different cities: ancient, medieval, and modern and the old town is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Of course, it is best known for the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the seven Wonders of the Ancient World, that stood in the old harbor until it collapsed in an earthquake in 227 BC, after dominating the harbor for 56 years. It is also known for its splendid beaches and 300 days of sunshine a year.

As I left the ship, I noticed Hop On Hop Off Buses just outside the port entrance (stop #8). Although I had studied all the maps and planned to take a self-guided tour of the Old Town, I decided to begin my journey with an hour long scenic circuit of the entire city (including up to Monte Smith) atop the tour bus, listening to a guided lecture. As always, I learned a lot and succeeded in getting an overview of both old and new, I would not have been able to conquer on foot.

Once I was satisfied I had a nice overview, I descended the bus (at stop #6) close to the stop where I boarded and near the Old Town central market, adjacent to the knights quarter. This was the perfect starting point for my walking tour of the (mostly pedestrian-only) Old Town. The well-preserved old town is divided into 3 quarters: knights, Turkish, and Jewish. I explored all 3.

The Avenue of the Knights, Ipoton, is the main thoroughfare of the knights’ quarter. This street is lined with the imposing Inns, residences of Knights of the Order of St John, that are divided by linguistic affinity, from each of the 7 groups that occupied Rhodes. I saw the French, Spanish, and Italian Inns, all that house archeological and decorative arts museums. I will explore Rhodes’ many museums on my next visit.

From here, I walked straight uphill to the Palace of Grand Masters, an imposing fort; built to be the last line of defense should the outer walls of the city be breached. Built on the site where the ancient Greek temple of Apollo stood, it was the residence of the Grand Master of the Knights, and where the Order assembled. After Rhodes fell to the Turks in 1522, it was converted to a prison and the palace was completely destroyed by an accidental explosion of stored black powder in 1856.

What is visible today as the Palace of the Grand Masters was rebuilt in the 1930’s based upon old drawings and it’s the complete reconstruction was undertaken to create the summer residence of Mussolini and King Victor Emmanuel III. Of note, it was never used for this purpose.

Next, I climbed the hill of the Mosque of Suleiman that was built soon after the Turks occupied the city of Rhodes in 1522 on the site of the destroyed Christian Church of the Apostles.

Just in front of the Suleiman Mosque is the old Turkish Bazaar that lines Sokratous Street, which is packed with tourists and a melee of shops that spill their wares into the street. I enjoyed exploring and bargaining. The shop owners are not annoyingly aggressive as in certain other cities.

Sokratous Street is a pleasant cobblestone street that is bound to be walked by every tourist who visits Rhodes. I took a slow walk through this street from the Mosque of Suleiman to the very lively Ippokratous Square which surrounds the Castellania fountain (birds are actually drinking from each of the faucets!!), and is framed by the old Chadrevan mosque on the west and the Palace of the Castellan on the east. All around, coffee shops and terraced-restaurants burst at the seams as they spill onto the street having completely covered the old buildings.

I returned to the ship to recharge my camera battery, find my ATM card, and grab lunch. I went back into Old Town for another 2 hours to explore more of the maze of nooks and crannies of this remarkably charming town.

When I return, I will take a trip to Lindos.

Tweet: Rhodes is the perfect port city: rich in history, U walk there from ship, it’s beautiful, it’s unique: a medieval walled-city & people smile

Chania, one of the most photographed cities in Greece

Today, I visited the city of Chania one of the most photographed cities in Greece. It is located on the island of Crete. I visited the charming old town with narrow, cobblestone streets; monuments and buildings dating to the 1500s, and a breathtaking harbor. The rain tried to ruin our day but did not succeed. You can see this in my photos.

Cruise to Israel, Greece, Turkey, and Italy

I will take this wonderful 13-night cruise that visits Israel (my first time), Greece, Italy (including Sicily), and Turkey. I look forward to a relaxing and intellectually stimulating time and to chilling out in my balcony room on a great ship!

Here is the route:

Sept 20 depart from Rome, Italy
Sept 21 Sea day
Sept 22 Chania, Crete, Greece
Sept 23 Rhodes, Greece
Sept 24 Sea day
Sept 25 Jerusalem (Ashdod) Israel
Sept 26 Nazareth (Haifa) Israel
Sept 27 Sea day
Sept 28 Ephesus, Turkey
Sept 29 Athens, Greece
Sept 30 Sea day
Oct 1 Palermo, Sicily, Italy
Oct 2 Naples,/Capri, Italy
Oct 3 Back to Rome and Flight back to Miami

Israelis And Palestinians Smile For The Camera

Here is an AP article about a worldwide project, created by a prize-winning French street artist, which encourages conflicted peoples to view each other eye-to-eye---- as brothers and sisters.

Here is the Israel execution of the project collaborated between Israelis and Palestinians.

JERUSALEM -- Large black-and-white portraits have been appearing on bridges, billboards and broken-down buses all over Israel and the West Bank as part of an international project that allows people to turn pictures of themselves into works of art or political statements.

The portraits of ordinary Israelis and Palestinians are part of a project created by a prize-winning French street artist known only as JR. The project, Inside Out, gets people worldwide to make a statement by having their photo taken and then printed on posters that they can then hang in a place they find significant.

Inside Out started in Tunisia in March and has also been to North Dakota in the U.S., Scotland and South Africa.

For two weeks, the project had two photo booths in the West Bank Palestinian cities of Bethlehem and Ramallah and a roaming photo truck that drove around Israel, taking a total of more than 7,000 portraits. It wraps up in Israel and the West Bank this weekend.

Israelis and Palestinians made different uses of their photos.
In the Aida refugee camp in Bethlehem last week, Palestinian youth activist Munther Amira came up with an idea for a political statement. He organized a group of children from the camp to have their photos taken and then painted flags on the posters of countries that support the Palestinian leadership's bid to win statehood recognition at the U.N. next week.

They took the portraits to Israel's nearby separation barrier and pasted them along the concrete wall.

In Tel Aviv early Thursday, a group of Israeli artists dressed in black pasted posters on the side of a bridge in what they called an apolitical art installation.
One of the participants, Maayan Iungman, said she felt the project was a way to reach people without talking about politics or opinions.

"Usually when we cross the street and see a big billboard with a photoshopped model and a lot of text, it doesn't move us. But to see a huge, simple bright face without words, you feel everything. I really believe this is a way of reaching people," she said.

In an interview with The Associated Press on Friday, JR, the artist behind the endeavor, said he envisioned the project as one in which his own ego was not a factor. Instead, the photo booths provide the materials and inspiration for people to take the idea and make it their own.

"It's about them. We transferred the power of the project to the people, and it's really their statements," he said.

Interfaith Peace

For 9/11, I attended an uplifting prayer and music service at Temple Judea. Prayers were read by rabbis, priests, imams, and ministers. Songs were performed by cantors and choirs. The Unity choir sang the Lord’s Prayer in Swahili. I could do this every day!